Make Punjabi official language of Chandigarh: SAD in LS

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 13

The Shiromani Akali Dal today demanded that Punjabi be made the official language of Chandigarh and posts in the Chandigarh Administration be filled in the ratio of 60:40 for Punjab and Haryana respectively as stipulated by the Punjab and Haryana Reorganisation Act.

Speaking during Zero Hour on the last day of the Parliament session, Akali Dal member Prem Singh Chandumajra said, "In Chandigarh out of 11 lakh people, 90 per cent speak Punjabi. However, in a strange case, the Punjabi language has not even been recognised as the second language in Chandigarh. Punjabi must be made the official language in Chandigarh." 

Akali Dal's demands came in the presence of Home Minister Rajnath Singh. Chandumajra also complained to Singh about the dilution of the reorganisation law insofar as the appointment of officers to various posts in Chandigarh is concerned. 

"The present ratio of appointment of Punjab officers in UT Chandigarh is just 5 per cent as against 25 per cent for Haryana. This is in clear violation of the laws. This trend must be arrested and Punjab language's primacy restored," Chandumajra said, referring to a recent circular he cited in the House to make his point on the matter of appointments.